NEW Star Trek Series Planned!!!!

[Jon]

Yep, like a lot of business decisions these days, its about back-handers and politics.

[Ilithi_Dragon]

Well, really, that's been the way of the world since the dawn of civilization. People with power/influence collude with other people in power/influence to their advantage. A thousand years ago it was kings and priests, today it's corporate executives and hollywood producers.


.... I could probably make a half-decent B-grade 'take over the world!' villain plot out of that...

[MajorD]

Eureka and Warehouse 13 are their highest rated shows ever!  Who gets rid of things like that.  It isn't like they are entering into their 7th or 8th season!  What kind of idiots are these people? 

They're getting more ratings, because they're spending more, but the profit margin is probably getting narrower. I have a feeling they can't get sufficient commercial investment. SyFy's best investments happen to be the crappy weekend movies. 

Cartoon Network, which also makes stupid decisions, don't doubt it, wants to get money, too. They combine it with a better awareness and appreciation of their fans, because they're fans of their own material.

[AricwithanA]

They're getting more ratings, because they're spending more, but the profit margin is probably getting narrower. I have a feeling they can't get sufficient commercial investment. SyFy's best investments happen to be the crappy weekend movies. 

Cartoon Network, which also makes stupid decisions, don't doubt it, wants to get money, too. They combine it with a better awareness and appreciation of their fans, because they're fans of their own material.

True.  That very well may be BUT, they could save/make money by not funding some of the crap they do.  Every so often there is a gem, but most of their original stuff is just terrible.  Utterly terrible. 

I'd still say the commercial investment is mostly their fault also.  The writers know exactly who their fans are, that is why it gets such ratings.  The people holding purse strings, not so much it seems.  Warehouse13, its main base is females and gay guys!  What commercials do I see?  Wrestling.  Another crappy Syfy Original Movie.  I'm quite certain there are more than plenty of companies that market to women and gays that would love to have commercial time during Warehouse 13.  The same goes for Eureka.  That show's fans are just geeks.  The writers know this and the show is written for geeks but still enjoyable for everyone else.  Why is there no geek stuff?  I see more geek related commercials on Adult Swim than I do on Syfy.  Syfy is supposed to be THE channel for geeks!  I don't think I've seen a single newegg commercial on Syfy but I've seen it on Adult Swim.  Two niche networks that share the same types of viewers. 

Yea, I'm sure Adult Swim has made mistakes (Soul of the Mole Man anyone?).  You are absolutely correct.  Not only do the Adult Swim people understand their audience, they also appreciate the fans and the material.  The ones that make the content are holding the purse strings (or at least have more control over it than most creative workers).  I'm going to steal this line of thought for other discussion other places, so thank you!  lol  That just is phrased perfectly.

Why is this so hard for the people at Syfy to figure this stuff out?

[Tiberius]

If you look at what makes the best of the best when it comes to Trek, be it the movies or the series, it is this:  Star Trek is at its best when it reflects the issues and goings-on of the day.  Star Trek II = Kirk and crew faced with the prospect of old age.  Star Trek VI = The collapse of the Soviet Union (two of the best Star Trek movies ever made, IMHO).  Like it or not,  some of the best episodes of ENT deals with the fallout of the Xindi attact on Earth (9/11, anyone?).

The core of this new series should be dealing with human issues.  Nick Meyer said it best (to paraphrase), "Star Trek allows you to objectify the problems facing society and see the solutions without being so close to the problems."  Or something to that effect.  If the writers take real-life events and put them in space, in the 24th or whatever century they choose, then people will identify with it.

[AricwithanA]

If you look at what makes the best of the best when it comes to Trek, be it the movies or the series, it is this:  Star Trek is at its best when it reflects the issues and goings-on of the day.  Star Trek II = Kirk and crew faced with the prospect of old age.  Star Trek VI = The collapse of the Soviet Union (two of the best Star Trek movies ever made, IMHO).  Like it or not,  some of the best episodes of ENT deals with the fallout of the Xindi attact on Earth (9/11, anyone?).

The core of this new series should be dealing with human issues.  Nick Meyer said it best (to paraphrase), "Star Trek allows you to objectify the problems facing society and see the solutions without being so close to the problems."  Or something to that effect.  If the writers take real-life events and put them in space, in the 24th or whatever century they choose, then people will identify with it.

I agree, it has been the humans issues that make things great.  There is a reason why science fiction, specifically, is best suited for examining the human condition.  Not only does it allow people to reflect and thing, it actively impacts society.

Samsung half won and half lost a lawsuit with Apple the other day.  This was a court case that actually cited Star Trek as Prior Art when it comes to patents.  They not only cited PADDS but they also cited things from the Space Odyssey also as Prior Art. 

http://www.dailytech.com/UPDATED+Netherlands+Judge+Find+Samsung+Guilty+of+Infringement+of+Apple+IP/article22527.htm

Awesome read there!

The biggest problem with a lot of todays problems are that those problems have already been solve, even in Kirks time.  Outside of War, our main social problems lie in business, economic and the digital realm.  If there ever has been a line from star trek I have cherished, it is this one:

Quark: Let me tell you something about Hew-mons, Nephew. They're a wonderful, friendly people, as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people... will become as nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon. You don't believe me? Look at those faces. Look in their eyes.

I'd love to have a star trek that revolves around this thinking for I think it is the best human characteristic to target that could encompass the main problems of today while still involving war.  It can provide all the neccessary ingredients for story arcs, character development, new technobabble and more!

[11001001]

@AricwithanA: I would love to see more of the biological and psychological aspects played out in Star Trek (two of my favourite subjects which currently I'm studying). But the whole point of the entertainment industry is to make us forget about our faults as a society and take our minds off what is going on outside the screen of a television or cinema, although saying this makes me wonder why there are so many "reality TV" shows out there. There is nothing more I love than watching something and than completely forgeting my problems until its finished. Having the characters going around in every episode with a gob on would make me depressed. If they do bring out a new TV series I would hope it would be focused on humanities struggle out of the problems like poverty and disease, while retaining some of the more serious aspects which make you sit back and actually think. But on trek we still need that character that isnt human, or not entirely, but seems to be able to read them like a book (Spock, Data, Seven of Nine etc)

[AricwithanA]

@AricwithanA: I would love to see more of the biological and psychological aspects played out in Star Trek (two of my favourite subjects which currently I'm studying). But the whole point of the entertainment industry is to make us forget about our faults as a society and take our minds off what is going on outside the screen of a television or cinema, although saying this makes me wonder why there are so many "reality TV" shows out there. There is nothing more I love than watching something and than completely forgeting my problems until its finished. Having the characters going around in every episode with a gob on would make me depressed. If they do bring out a new TV series I would hope it would be focused on humanities struggle out of the problems like poverty and disease, while retaining some of the more serious aspects which make you sit back and actually think. But on trek we still need that character that isnt human, or not entirely) but seems to be able to read them like a book (Spock, Data, Seven of Nine etc)

I never thought star trek was about making us forget about our problems though.  Almost all episodes revolve around aspects of humanity that we should be working towards or how to deal with the flaws in our species.  Now, no, we'd not want this to be all depressing all the time.  It is what killed SG:U.  One can explore things like in reference to the quote from Quark or from your first sentence there and not have it be depressing.  It should be done in your face at times and other times it should be very, very subtle.  All about developing a good story.  lol

[11001001]

@AricwithanA: Yeah, I think your right. If it's done without us really realizing until the very end of the episode it would be great, through the story you have subtle hints and then bam at the end someone drops the clanger. I just wanted to share as well my favorite trek episode is "Drumhead" and my two favorite lines, except from everything in Jean Simmons speech are:

"Sir, the Federation does have enemies! We must seek them out!"
"Oh, yes. That's how it starts, but the road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think. Something is wrong here, Mr. Worf. I don't like what we have become!"

and:

"Mr. Worf, villains who twirl their mustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well-camouflaged"

also:

"Maybe. But she or someone like her will always be with us, waiting for the right climate in which to flourish. Spreading fear in the name of righteousness. Vigilance, Mr. Worf. That is the price we have to continually pay"

It just shows that even in the 24th century there are people who appoint themselves judge, jury and executioner and spread fear to accomplish there goals

[Major Stress]

ALL of the points here have merit. First and foremost any new trek series better have an army of the BEST writers available, because as we have seen with late TNG, DS9, Voyager, and ENT. They have pretty much exhausted every "new" idea they could come up with, and started re-telling the same old redundant, and boring stories over, and over again.

To the point to where we seen "excessive over usage of time travel as a major plot device", "Space Nazis" in some way shape, or form (i think almost every series but DS9 had them unless you count the Dominion as space nazis). "The ultimate new technology that went horribly wrong", and an equally horribly written solution to the problem, "How the ultimate trek villains, The Borg went from "HOLY SHIT!!" in Best of Both Worlds to nothing more than retarded jack in the box's in Voyager", The inevitable god awful "filler" episodes with some of the most retarded story's (if you can call them that) ever told in sci fi. Then the movies ALWAYS (cept for the shatner centric ST:V) went over the top with the "Ultimate Evil heading straight for earth to destroy it". THAT is what killed old school trek. Running out of ideas, and horrible writing.

I grew up on classic TOS, but I liked TNG, because for up until Gene Roddenbury died it kept the "tradition" of trek, but it told some damn good, and fresh story's with no technobabble to save the day. I also liked DS9 because it did show the Federation had a "dark side", and in fact we were still "human" despite living in a future paradise. I loved quarks commentary in the siege of AR3yada yada "If you take away their creature comforts then they become as savage, and bloodthirsty as any Klingon". If they keep those traits in any new show it may be worth watching.

I am not liking the idea of a "younger" cast. A bunch of early 20 year olds galloping around the cosmos playing 90210 in space, or "Legend of the Rangers" makes me cringe. Mix up the age brackets. The Captain Him, or herself shouldnt be any younger than late 30's, or early 40's (as real life navy ship captains arent younger than 40's). Kirk was an exception, not the rule. Character driven i can go for as long as they dont turn it into a soap opera.

Would love to see more of the federations "founding races" on the bridge like the Andorians, and the Tellerites. Along with Vulcans. Perhaps we will see the first "Romulan" Starfleet bridge crew member. It would be interesting to see how the "logical" Vulcans, and the "fiercely Passionate" Romulans interact together in situations on board a starship.

The "filler" episodes could be from an "aliens" point of view, or about a situation that happens elsewhere on an alien world, but has a connection to this new ship, and crew in a future episode.

Make sure the new ship is NOT named Enterprise.

[Aresius]

Well, the Dominion pretty much really were Space Nazis. I mean the view that only they bring order to an otherwise chaotic world and that their rulership is the only tolerable one may be a bit like the Roman Empire and the Christian Church have thought, but it's still a very dangerous view.

Technically speaking, there are plots in Trek episodes that have always cricled around a few ever-repetive stories. They were changed, adapted to new races and places and maybe spiced up a bit, but essentially, they're all the same. For instance the ever-so wonderful and nice world that just happens to have a dark and uncanny secret. In TOS: "Shore Leave", in TNG: "Up the long ladder", DS9: "Paradise", VOY: "Worforce", ENT: "Civilisation" All essentially the same. And there's a whole plethora of these plots that are being recycled in every show, so it's rather expectable that any new show will have an episode featuring a variation of this theme as well.

About the crew being young shots, I wholeheartedly agree with the Major that there should be older people as well. I mean thinking that Alexander Siddig was first considered for the role of Sisko is a really tough thing. Luckily, they went for Brooks.

About the races, I really wanted to see lore aliens on Federation starships ever since. That's why I love the mods that diversify BC. I mean okay, TOS has established that there are many human-looking aliens, and given the Federations peaceful expansion, I'd expect them to be in the Federation by the time of Voyager (else they'd be small unassociated isle in the vast sea of the Federation territory).
We have Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarite, Denobulans, Bolians, Benzites, but as the shows suggest, at least Starfleet is an organisation that's mainly run by Humans. Talking about spreading like rabbits!

[MajorD]

Technically speaking, there are plots in Trek episodes that have always cricled around a few ever-repetive stories. They were changed, adapted to new races and places and maybe spiced up a bit, but essentially, they're all the same. For instance the ever-so wonderful and nice world that just happens to have a dark and uncanny secret. In TOS: "Shore Leave", in TNG: "Up the long ladder", DS9: "Paradise", VOY: "Worforce", ENT: "Civilisation" All essentially the same

You got that backwards, with the exception of "Shore Leave". All of those other planets are crappy places that have horrible secrets that make them even worse. The the stories that fit Utopias that are actually crap are TNG: "Justice" and TOS: "The Cloud Minders". "Shore Leave" doesn't fit at all because it's a seemingly normal planet, that ends up seemingly horrible, only to be awesome. While the themes are similar for most of them, they at least go in original directions.

The biggest offenders are "The Naked Now" which was a concious rehash of the TOS episode with the same sickness, "Doctor's Orders" which was just like a Voyager episode with the Doctor as the only one in command, and the Doctor also goes crazy like Phlox.  I can't remember them all, but Enterprise was the worst because it rehashed episodes it had already done, Voyager at least only copied TNG, not itself.

The main problem is that Star Trek hasn't used science fiction writers since TOS, they've used drama and mystery writers. The executives also became too afraid to try anything even remotely different, and the producers couldn't let themselves drop certain concepts that needed to be dropped.

[Major Stress]

You hit the nail right on the head MajorD. Trek over the years went the way of the "Sci Fi" channel. To the point of "When can we actually see some freaking SCI FI on this sci fi channel?!!" No doubt not having sci fi writers (or competent writers period) is pretty much what made trek turn south in its late years. Good writer, and Good story's chances are you will have a good show. Bad writing, and no amount of "coolness" will save you.

Much can be said for Manny Coto though for turning ENT around. The fourth season of ENT was actually quite good (except the finale).

[Darkthunder]

Much can be said for Manny Coto though for turning ENT around. The fourth season of ENT was actually quite good (except the finale).

Ahem... guess who wrote the finale? "Rick Berman & Brannon Braga", which is also the ONLY episode they were responsible for during Season 4. That should speak volumes of how bad Enterprise got compared to the near-masterpiece of Season 4 (near = space nazis and TNG-finale)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes#Season_4_.282004.E2.80.932005.29

[Jon Deane]

The worst part is, "These are the Voyages" could have been a great episode.  There were just a few problems:
-People wanted an ENTERPRISE finale, not a "Berman trek" finale.  This should have been a (or two; see below) regular episode(s).
-Jolene Blalock refused to act properly, killing many scenes.
-While the TNG story was nice, the Enterprise story needed a LOT of work.  It seemed like they just threw stuff together at the last second and everything seems rather pointless.  This probably should have been a two-parter set in line with the rest of the series and have a MUCH more fleshed-out story (naturally heavily modifed, but all the six years in the future stuff was so unbelievable; it's as if they just reset the show back to "Broken Bow" and claimed it was the future).

[Einherjar]

Has anyone read the analysis of that episode on ditl.org?
He takes up a few more points the Jon Deane and I gotta admit I agree with it all.

http://www.ditl.org/pagepisode.php?ENT97

[schwarzwolf]

The new series is a great news. Intresting would be to know, how they will involve the books who was written and if it will have also some influence on Star Trek Excalibur. The powerful Ferengi as example.

[MajorD]

If "These are the Voyages" was done mid-season it could have worked, because it wouldn't have been such a sarcastic kiss off. But, if that were done, it really would not have made any sense, even though it would have mitigated the pain. It's the only episode that I really wish didn't exist.

Since "Endgame" was brought up int he article, my opinion on it is that it should have been the second from last episode. There should have been an episode called "Homecoming" where we finally see Voyager get home, and how they deal with that situation.

[Warborg]

While I did enjoy ALL Star Trek series and Movies. Enterprise and JJ's version took it in the wrong direction.

I have both joy and fear hearing of this possible new series.

Joy for more... I don't believe in the 'Trek burnout' excuse that is used. More like bad writing(or base) . Meaning going in the past and having the cannon story on the line every ep (Borg, Ferengi and Romulans come to mind) sure they found ways to cover their tracks but come on... if they wanted them in the storyline so bad they should have done it in the TNG, DS9 and Voyager timeline to begin with. Despite that, I did like Enterprise to a point and wanted it to be successful. I still watch more reruns of Enterprise and TNG then any other show SyFy airs.

Fear is if they don't do it post Voyager... it won't make it... and again the 'Trek burnout' excuse will be used.

[Tiberius]

I must defend the writers of the last season of Enterprise.  Judith and Garfield Reese-Stevens are AMAZING storytellers, IMHO.  They have a knack for weaving together "loose ends" as it were into a coherent story (for instance:  Explaining why the Vulcans acted so differently in the ENT time period; Explaining the difference in appearance of the Klingons in TOS)  Say what you will about Enterprise, I just got done marathon-watching most of Season 4 on Netflix--it's damned good stuff...

If the show had been allowed to continue, I believe it would have only gotten better...